Designing an App to Facilitate Self-Management in Young Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer - Development and Usability Study

Sep 30, 2026

Young adult survivors of childhood cancer face late and long-term treatment effects and often receive less than risk-based survivorship care in adulthood. Transition from parent-guided pediatric support to self-driven adult care is difficult and includes multiple barriers, suggesting a need for targeted support during this period. The study translated a web intervention into a mobile app using iterative co-creation, then assessed usability and subjective appeal to inform a future peer-mentoring educational trial.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Introduction

JMIR CANCER Collins et al Original Paper Designing an App to Facilitate Self-Management in Young Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer: Development and Usability Study | Meredith K Reffner Collins1, PhD; Kristine Levonyan-Radloff1, MS; Jeffery McLaughlin2,3, BA; Margaret Masterson 1, MD; Katie A Devine 1, PhD, MPH | | --- | | 1Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute, Rutgers, The State University ofNew Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, United States 2Radiant Creative Group, Vienna, VA, United States
3New Math Data LLC, Houston, TX, United States
Corresponding Author:
Meredith K Reffner Collins, PhD Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Rutgers Cancer Institute
Rutgers, The State University ofNew Jersey
195 Little Albany St.
New Brunswick, NJ, 08903 United States
Phone: 1 7322352465
[Email:](Email: mkc154@cinj.rutgers.edu)[ ](Email: mkc154@cinj.rutgers.edu)[mkc154@cinj.rutgers.edu](Email: mkc154@cinj.rutgers.edu)
Abstract | | Background: Young adult survivors of childhood cancer are at risk for late and long-term effects from their treatment, and less than 1 in 5 obtain risk-based care in adulthood. Transitioning young adult survivors from pediatric, parent-driven care to adult, self-driven care is a challenging process during which young adults face multiple barriers. Intervening during this period may facilitate better transition readiness. For this purpose, we previously developed the Managing Your Health (MYH) web-based intervention, which showed initial feasibility and acceptability; however, young adult participants wanted to access the intervention through a mobile app.
Objective: We used an iterative, cocreation design process to translate, build, and evaluate the usability of the MYH web-based intervention into a mobile app to be used in a future peer-mentoring educational intervention.
Methods: In phase 1, we conducted key informant workshops with 3 stakeholder groups to understand target users’needs and expectations related to the content and design of the mobile app. In phase 2, we conducted usability testing with young adult survivors of childhood cancer to evaluate the app’s usability and subjective appeal.
Results: Participants in the key informant workshops (n=13) agreed that the content of the proposed app matched the barriers faced by young adult survivors of childhood cancer. Participants provided suggestions about the design of the app, including content and features, although there were mixed views about the inclusion of gamification features. Usability testing participants (n=25) rated the app highly on measures of technology acceptance, usability, and aesthetic appeal. Participants’ qualitative comments suggested that they found the app to be useful, easy to use, and likable or familiar relative to other existing apps. Participants suggested a variety of features to enhance the app, including adding features to enhance usability and reformatting certain aspects of the app to enhance interactivity and feedback to the user. Suggestions with uniformly positive reports were used to refine the app, while suggestions with mixed enthusiasm were not prioritized in refining the app.
Conclusions: We engaged target users of an educational app in an iterative app design process to create a product that would meet the needs and expectations of those users. Results suggested that the app was generally viewed as acceptable, useful, and visually appealing. Common suggestions for improvement, such as reformatting quizzes to enhance interactivity and provide feedback regarding correct answers, were used to refine the app. The refined app will be used in the future intervention efficacy trial.
Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials NCT06763770; [https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06763770](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06763770)[ ](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06763770)(JMIR Cancer 2025;11:e77121) doi: 10.2196/77121 | [https://cancer.jmir.or

FAQs

Why focus on self-management for young adult survivors of childhood cancer?

Because survivors are at risk for late and long-term effects and, in adulthood, fewer than one in five obtain risk-based care. Improving transition readiness may help address these challenges.

What was the objective of the app development study?

To use an iterative co-creation design process to translate, build, and evaluate the usability of the MYH web intervention into a mobile app for a future peer-mentoring educational intervention.

How was usability evaluated and what did participants report?

Key informant workshops informed content and design, and usability testing with young adult survivors (n=25) assessed technology acceptance, usability, and aesthetic appeal. Participants rated the app highly and described it as useful, easy to use, and familiar, with suggestions to improve interactivity and feedback.

Sep 30, 2026

Uploaded by Aria Callaghan